Search Finding Aids

Philosophy

Mortimer Jerome Adler, philosopher, educator, writer. The Mortimer J. Adler Papers include information on his work with the Great Books, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and the Institute for Philosophical Research as well as material relating to his many publications. The collection consists of articles, correspondence, manuscripts, memoranda, newspaper clippings, notes, reading lists, reprints, and other materials relating to the career of Mortimer J. Adler.

Morris Raphael Cohen (1880-1947), Philosopher. Papers highlight Cohen's influence as an early proponent of legal philosophy; his career as a teacher of philosophy, especially at the City College of New York; Jewish concerns and his affiliation with the Conference on Jewish Relations; writings on the philosophy of history, the philosophy of science, social philosophy, logic and ethics; and an extensive correspondence with family, friends, professional associates, and major contemporary philosophers.

John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educator. He helped found the philosophic school of pragmatism, the school of functional psychology, and was a leader of a progressive reform movement in American education. The Collection contains biographical information, a course syllabus taught by Dewey, reprints of Dewey’s writings, a photocopy of the manuscript for Principles of Education, articles and reprints about John Dewey, and book reviews of books about Dewey.

George Herbert Mead (1863-19310 educator, social psychologist, philosopher. The Mead Papers contain correspondence, primarily with family members including Henry Northrup Castle, Helen Castle Mead, Henry Castle Mead, and Irene Tufts Mead. Other correspondents include John Dewey and Charles Morris. The collection also includes manuscripts of published journal articles and books, correspondence relating to publications, and student notes from Mead's courses.

Michael Polanyi, chemist and philosopher, was born, Budapest, Hungary, 1891. He received his M.D. (1913) and Ph.D (1917) from the University of Budapest. He worked at Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Fibre Chemistry, Berlin, 1920 to 1923, and the Institute of Physical and Electro-Chemistry, Berlin, 1923 to 1933. He was chair of physical chemistry, 1933 to 1948, and professor of social studies, 1948-58, at the University of Manchester. Polanyi was senior research fellow, Merton College, Oxford, from 1958 to 1976. Died, 1976. The papers of Michael Polanyi contains personal and professional correspondence; research notes; manuscripts of lectures, published and unpublished works, speeches, German scientific writings, patents, and poetry; diaries and notebooks; offprints; and memorabilia, including photographs, clippings, a sound recording of an interview with Polanyi, Christmas cards, and invitations. Also includes photocopies of title pages of the 1,500 books from Polanyi's library. Correspondents include Joseph Oldham, Marjorie Grene, Harry Prosch, Arthur Koestler, Karl Mannheim, Edward Shils, and Eugene Wigner. Manuscripts and correspondence reveal the range of Polanyi's philosophical thought and interests in intellectual liberty and the issue of planning in science. Correspondence also illustrates Polanyi's participation in the organization of the Congress for Cultural Freedom and the Committee on Science and Freedom.

Leo Strauss (1899-1973), scholar of political philosophy. The Papers include correspondence, manuscripts, research notes, notebooks, publications and audio recordings. The papers document Strauss' career as a writer and professor of political philosophy at the Academy of Jewish Research, Berlin (1925-1932), the New School for Social Research (1941-1948), the University of Chicago (1949-1968) and other institutions in the United States and Europe.

Manley Hawn Thompson was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago from 1949 to 1987. The collection mostly contains correspondence and drafts of his and others' scholarly writings, dating from 1939 to 1998. The bulk of the material is from the 1980s.

James Hayden Tufts (1862-1942) was on the faculty
of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Chicago from
1892-1930. He was Dean of the Senior Colleges (1898-1904), Dean of
Faculties and Vice-President of the University (1924-26), Acting
President of the University (1925-26), and editor of the
International Journal of Ethics (1914-1930). The Tufts Papers
include professional correspondence (1909-1942); philosophy
outlines, notes and lectures; drafts of Tufts' memoirs; papers
concerning the City Club of Chicago Committee on Housing Conditions
(1908-13); and documents related to the Illinois Committee on Social
Legislation (1912-17).

The Unity of Science Movement, founded by sociologist Otto Neurath, sought a common empirical attitude toward all the sciences and strove to develop a single, comprehensive scientific language. Along with a philosophic program, the members of the movement undertook the publication of the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science.
The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts, financial records, programs, reprints, a photograph, and newspaper clippings. Includes extensive correspondence of members involved in the movement, as well as organizational materials and abstracts from the International Congresses for the Unity of Science. Also includes material related to the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science. Correspondents include Percy W. Bridgman, Rudolph Carnap, John Dewey, Herbert Feigl, Philipp Frank, Joergen Joergensen, Victor Lenzen, Charles W. Morris, Otto Neurath, Hans Reichenbach, Louis Roughier, and Bertrand Russell.